


Steven's request

by Chromite



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Burning room, Discussion, Gem Shards, Post-Episode s05e29-32 Change Your Mind, cluster mutants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 10:45:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18939343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chromite/pseuds/Chromite
Summary: Steven brings Garnet and Lapis into the burning room to discuss some of the bubbles that are still within.





	Steven's request

>Steven had requested Garnet and Lapis join him in the temple's Burning Room. The bubbles holding the shards and the cluster mutants floated above the trio's heads. Steven sat down upon the stairs at the edge of the room, Garnet and Lapis crouching down to meet his eyes.   
>"Steven, why are we here? What's this about?" Lapis asked, curiosity filling her voice.   
>"It must be important to call us here, into a private area nobody visits anymore." Garnet spoke evenly, hiding her own curiosity. Her future vision wasn't showing her what Steven had on his mind.  
>Steven smiled at the pair before he spoke. "Garnet, Lapis, thank you guys so much for coming here! I know you're wondering why we're here. You know how Cluster is in the Earth, bubbled away but still conscious and their minds unified?"  
>A chill went through Garnet's form. Lapis nodded. "I remember, where are you going with this Steven?"  
>A sudden rush of visions came to Garnet. "S-steven, please tell me you aren't going to mess with the bubbled shards."  
>Lapis glanced over at Garnet before turning her gaze back to Steven. Steven shuffled his feet along the floor nervously. "I am, but it's more than that guys. I think I can help the smaller clusters find the same harmony that Cluster has. I have to try, if they can function together as a whole, they can experience life again!"  
>Garnet placed her right hand on Steven's shoulder. "Steven, I know you mean well, but even if you can help them, you can't make their bodies whole again. We should leave them to rest in peace, in the bubbles."   
>"Wait, Garnet, why are you dismissing Steven's idea? Don't you think it's cruel to leave them in there?! They NEED to be free! Free from the bubbles and free from their suffering!" Lapis's voice raised as she spoke, her anger bubbling over from the fusion's intention to keep gems that still had a chance to function trapped.  
>"Lapis, you don't understand! These are shards forced together in artificial fusion! Fusion is suppose to be about love, not making the best of a bad thing!"   
>"Guys stop, please! I wanted to get your opinions and talk about this calmly, not start a fight! Can we please calm down?" Steven's voice rang through the chamber. Garnet and Lapis both looked over at the boy.  
>Steven took a deep breath before he spoke again. "Garnet, I know they've been forced together, but Lapis is right. If there's a chance they can function, I have to try and give it to them! I think my mom's fountain might help the larger ones gain a more stable form at least, once I get their minds working together. What if they can learn to love each other, like Ruby and Sapphire do?"  
>"That's!" Garnet's eyes widened in shock under her visor. She never considered what Steven had suggested, about the fountain or about love.  
>"What if they don't Steven?" Lapis asked in a low tone. "What if they decide they hate each other? What if they can't get along, or worse, what if they decide they want to hurt each other forever?" Her voice raised as she continued speaking. "Being trapped in stasis is awful, but being trapped in a fusion you hate would be worse! What happens to those clusters Steven? What happens if they beg you to release them from their suffering?"  
>Steven's face fell a bit. "I-I don't know. But I can't ignore them all because of what could happen."  
>Garnet looked up at the shards and back at Steven, visions and paths appearing before her once more. She sighed before she spoke. "We'll bubble the ones that can't come together in harmony or understanding while we decide what to do with them. Steven, you have to promise me that you won't try fixing a cluster's mind without someone nearby, in case something goes wrong."  
>Lapis interjects. "So you're going to leave the ones that fail to come together to suffer in bubbles?! What kind of existence is that to live! We can't leave them in there forever. we c-can't r-risk them being aware within the bubbles, like Cluster is. If they are aware in there, they will suffer, like I-I did while I w-was Malachite."  
>Garnet stood up. "You brought that upon yourself Lazuli. You forced Jasper to stay bound to you! These gems aren't-"  
>"You really think there aren't pieces in those floating abominations that wouldn't take their frustrations out on anyone they could get a hold of, even those stuck with them? Oh come ON Garnet! They suffered before you could bubble them, some of them will want to cause suffering to something else because of that!"  
>The room fell silent for a bit as the three gems contemplated what had just been said.   
>Steven finally spoke up. "Lapis, I know you've been through a lot, and I know we'll need to do something to the more vengeful ones. Garnet, I know you don't like the idea of gems being stuck together in fusion forever at all. But I have to try to do something for them! They deserve the right to choose their own fates"  
>Garnet removed her visor, her three eyes staring at Steven intently. "Steven, I understand. I know you won't let this go until you try. But you must be ready to do what it takes, to do what's best for the shards when the time comes, no matter what that ends up being. No matter what they choose, you must follow through, even if it means....."  
>"Shattering them." Lapis finished Garnet's statement for her. "Steven shouldn't have to shatter anyone, even if they are already shards."  
>"Lapis, it's okay." Steven smiled at the water gem. "We'll deal with that if it comes up. I hope it won't, it'd be nice if they could all get happy endings."  
>"If you say so Steven. What's the next step?"   
>"We need to know if the forms of the shard clusters can be altered. The larger ones will be fine, but the two shard fusions need better bodies." Garnet summoned her visor as she finished speaking and stood up.   
>Steven thought for a moment before he snapped his fingers. "Oh, I know just the gem to see! Come on guys, let's go see Peridot, she'll know more about them than anyone else on Earth!"  
>"Very well. To Peridot it is." Garnet turned to Lapis. "Lazuli, if you want to join us, you can. I understand if you want to stay behind."  
>Lapis hesitated for a moment. She hadn't talked with Peridot since the corruptions were healed. She knew she needed to get it out of the way soon. "No, I should go with you. The more we have present to explain the thoughts on the shard clusters, the better, right? Come on Steven, Garnet, let's go." Lapis rushed towards the temple door within the burning room, making a hasty exit into the beach house.  
>"Garnet, do you think she'll be okay? There's leftover things between her and Peridot that they haven't talked about yet."  
>"This is one battle Lapis needs to fight on her own Steven. They'll be okay. We need to take a few bubbles with us, clusters of various sizes just in case."   
>Garnet's arms lengthened as her gems glowed, her hands grabbing onto a seven shard cluster and a thirteen shard cluster before retracting back towards her form. Steven jumped up and grabbed a three shard cluster and a four shard cluster before floating back down.  
>"How many do we need Garnet?"  
>"This will be enough variety. Let's be on our way."  
>Garnet and Steven left the burning room, bubbles in hand. They met up with Lapis in the main area of the beach house before setting out. Their destination was set.


End file.
